A couple of terns from Northern Ireland (1 Viewer)

[SteveClark]

G'day all

I'm just back in Australia after a few weeks in Ireland. Many new birds. I was hoping someone could have a look at these two terns. The lower one is a Common Tern (saw lots of these). Is the upper one an Arctic Tern? Not the best quality photo I know. The birds were roosting (maybe nesting) on the small island just offshore from Strangford near where the ferry goes across to Portaferry.

Where are the Sandwich Terns by the way? Didn't see a single one in Ireland.

Cheers

Steve Clark
Hamilton, Victoria, Australia

 

[M Cowming]

Hi Steve,

The upper bird Is an Arctic Tern. You can see how short the legs are compared to the Common....plus there's no black tip to the bill. Can't believe you didn't see a Sandwich Tern...they're everywhere!

Regards,

 

[SteveClark]

Hi Steve,

The upper bird Is an Arctic Tern. You can see how short the legs are compared to the Common....plus there's no black tip to the bill. Can't believe you didn't see a Sandwich Tern...they're everywhere!

Regards,

Thanks for the confirmation M.

Re Sandwich Terns: I looked for them everywhere as I knew I should be seeing them. Every tern I saw after Strangford, on every beach, in every harbour, was either a Common Tern or unidentified. South of Dublin I scoped every tern trying to find a Roseate Tern. No luck but if there had been Sandwich Terns around surely I would have found them. This was June 12 - July 4.

I could say "where were the lapwings?" as well.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Mabel]

Thanks for the confirmation M.

I could say "where were the lapwings?" as well.

Steve

Lapwings are declining-they used to be really common, but now they're Red-Listed.

 

[M Cowming]

Well, it's a miracle that you failed to see Sandwich Terns...they are very plentiful around the Irish coastline. Roseate Terns, although in smaller numbers are actually increasing slowly as regards numbers breeding in Ireland so there's a bit of good news.

Lapwings are breeding mostly away from the coast at this time of year. However, where I live, I have just noticed them returning to the shore although in small numbers, in the last couple of weeks. If you want to see decent numbers of Lapwing, you need to come to Ireland in Winter when large flocks are not uncommon.

Regards,